


The Power of Two

by SparklingDarkAngel



Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: Child Abuse, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Lots of Angst, Not Incest, pretty dark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-03-28 10:18:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13901943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparklingDarkAngel/pseuds/SparklingDarkAngel
Summary: When Rick A-77 learns about the usefulness of Morty’s brainwaves, he eagerly seeks out his Morty. He’s been out of Beth’s life for so long though that he doesn’t know that she’s in prison for killing Morty’s stepfather or the horrid abuse that lies in Morty’s past.





	1. The Meeting

Finally, Rick could catch his breath as he pulled his spaceship into the parking lot. He could hardly believe he hadn’t found this place sooner- a whole citadel of Ricks hiding from the galactic government. 

And that’s why Rick A-77 was there. The galactic federation had been chasing him for years it seemed. It wasn’t until he coincidentally ran into another Rick recently on his adventuring that he had learned about the existence of this place. It was amazing. 

As he looked around, there was just one thing that puzzled him, and that was the presence of kids, no more than fourteen years old, all wearing yellow shirts. Some were alone, but most were following a Rick around. 

Rick A-77 found another Rick sitting alone at a table, drinking coffee. “Hey, I’m new here,” he said. “Who are these kids?”

“You mean the Mortys?” the other Rick asked. A-77 nodded. “Their our grandson. His brainwaves shield us from the galactic federation.”

“Really?” A-77 asked in amazement. “I need to find mine. Thanks!” he jumped up from the table and started running back to his spaceship. 

“No problem!” he heard the other Rick call out. 

Rick A-77 made his way back to his spaceship (well, he was pretty sure this one was his) and hopped inside. He set the coordinates for Earth A-77 and let auto pilot take control. “Morty, I’m coming,” he said. 

It was time for Rick to reenter Beth’s life, and if she was the same little daddy’s girl she was when he left, she’d welcome him back with open arms. He pulled out his computer and started typing Beth’s name. What he found shocked him. 

Beth Sanchez, imprisoned for murdering her husband, Jonathan Reeves. 

Sure, Beth had been a wild child, but he certainly never had imagined her capable of murder. Reeves must have been bad news. He wondered what had happened to Jerry. He vaguely remembered him from Beth’s teenage years and knew he was the father of his granddaughter. A quick search later, Rick found that he was unemployed and did not have custody of the boy. 

Rick growled in annoyance. Where was Morty? Beth would know. He decided to visit her in prison. 

As soon as he entered Earth’s atmosphere, he took the wheel and steered to where Beth was imprisoned. As he parked, and unfamiliar pang of guilt hit him. If he hadn’t left Beth’s life, maybe none of this would have ever happened. 

He entered the dark building, heading straight for the front desk. “I’m here to visit Beth Sanchez,” he said to the lady behind the desk. 

“Sure thing,” she replied, handing him a clipboard. He signed in and handed it back to her. “One of our staff will escort you to the visiting room now.”

He followed behind the guard nervously. He hadn’t seen Beth in years. What if she wasn’t daddy’s girl anymore? What if she refused to speak to him? How would he find Morty then?

The moment he entered the visiting room, his eyes were drawn towards her. She looked a lot the same, but thinner, paler, and the sparkle in her eyes was gone. Rick approached her hesitantly, feeling that pang of guilt again. 

Beth’s blonde hair hung limp in her face. She made no move to move it with her cuffed hands, which rested on the table. “So,” she said. “What brings Rick Sanchez in to see his locked up daughter?”

There was pain in her eyes as she looked at him. “I met another version of myself,” he said. “He had a grandson.”

“Morty,” Beth replied. “Why have you taken an interest in him?”

Rick thought up a quick lie. “Because Rick and Mortys everywhere have a special bond, and I want that. I want to be a part of a family again.”

As he spoke, the familiar sparkle returned to his dad. “He’s in the foster care system at some boy’s home named Boys’ Harbor. Summer emancipated and has been trying to get custody of him with no luck. Jerry’s tried getting custody too, but without a job, they won’t grant it.” A tear slid down Beth’s cheek. “But if you really mean it, you could get custody over him.”

He instinctively grabbed Beth’s hands. “I will,” he promised gently. “But I need to know something.”

“Why did I kill Jonathan?” Rick nodded. “At first he was only hurting me. I was scared to leave because he threatened the children. But then I found out that he was hurting Morty, and I had to do something.”

Rick’s stomach twisted in disgust. He was a sick bastard, but even he would never hurt an innocent child. “You did the right thing, Beth,” he assured her. 

“Get Morty,” Beth instructed. He’s far better off with family.”

Rick left the jail feeling like the world’s worst father, which he probably was. If he had just stayed in Beth’s life, he could have had Jonathan taken care of. Beth wouldn’t be in prison, Summer wouldn’t be alone at seventeen, and Morty would have never got hurt. Not that he cared. He told himself long ago that he was better off alone. 

Rick climbed back into his spaceship and set the coordinates for Boys’ Harbor. It wasn’t far from the jail, in a run-down part of the neighborhood. Rick touched the freeze gun in his lab pocket, making sure it was still there in case he needed it. 

He hopped out of the spaceship and apprehensively entered the ragged building in front of him. This was where his grandson was living? Morty was gonna be relieved that Rick was taking him away from this dump. 

He approached the lady at the front counter and cleared his throat. “May I help you?” she asked, in a bored tone. 

“I’m here to visit my grandson, Morty,” he explained. 

“Follow me,” the lady replied. He followed her down the dark hallway past the flickering lights to the last door on the left. The lady knocked before saying, “Morty, you have a visitor.”

She opened the door, and let Rick inside. The room was small and dim. Morty was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring downwards at his feet. “Hey, Morty,” Rick said awkwardly. “My name’s Rick Sanchez. I know you don’t know me, but I’m your grandpa.”

Morty looked up at him with skeptical brown eyes. His yellow shirt was speckled with holes, his jeans were too small, and the shoes sitting under his bed looked worn. “How- how long have you been here?” Rick asked in horror. 

His grandson made motions with his hands that Rick instantly recognized as American Sign Language. Ten months. Rick sighed in disbelief. He knew the type of destruction he could cause. He didn’t know about the destruction and suffering left in the wake of his absence. “Well, put on your shoes, kiddo,” he said. “I’m busting you outta here.”


	2. The Reunion

Morty stared up at this strange man who claimed to be his grandfather. He did have to admit, he had the same sparkling eyes and rounded jawline as his mother did. This comforted Morty. His mother had always been his protector, even going so far as to kill his abuser in exchange for her freedom. But he knew there was no way he was getting out of this place legally. I don’t understand, he signed. 

“What are you, stupid?” the gruff old man asked. Morty flinched at his words. “You’re coming with me.”

Morty sighed and put on his shoes. It was probably best to just go along with what the old man said. He stood up. “Where’s your stuff?” Rick asked. 

I don’t have any, Morty signed back. 

Rick squinted at him suspiciously. “What’s your deal? You don’t talk.”

Morty hadn’t said a word since the incident with Jonathan. His stepfather had stolen his innocence, and Morty had been mute ever since. Morty shook his head.

Rick shrugged. “Whatever, I guess,” he said. “Now, let’s go.”

Morty followed Rick down the hallway. As they passed Martha at the front desk, she started to say something, but Rick pulled out a gun and froze her on the spot. Morty’s eyes widened as he backed away from this dangerous creature. “Don’t be like that,” Rick huffed in annoyance. He reached out, grabbed the boy’s hand, and yanked roughly. “Now, come one.”

Morty let himself be dragged away, his heart starting to pound with terror. He quickened his pace to keep up with Rick, who had a death-grip on Morty’s wrist. Morty moaned slightly, and the old man loosened his grip. 

A tear slipped down Morty’s face. He didn’t know Rick. And that meant he couldn’t trust him. He didn’t want to go with him. He wanted his mom. Another tear fell, then another. He had no idea what he was heading into. For all he knew, he could be walking straight into hell. 

Rick obviously wasn’t paying attention as he opened the door to his spaceship and lightly tossed Morty into the passenger’s seat. Morty curled his legs up to his chest and hugged them. He could feel wet tears sinking through his jeans as he buried his face. It was nothing new. Morty couldn’t remember the last time he had gone a day without crying. 

His grandpa hopped excitedly into the driver’s seat and buckled. “Oh, the places you and I will go! And the galactic federation can’t find me when I’m with you!” He laughed hysterically. “This is gonna be good for both of us. Rick and Morty, one-hundred years! Rick and- hey, are you okay?”

Morty looked up at Rick. Nobody in the home had ever asked him if he was “okay” before. Jonathan had certainly never asked him. It was something only his mother, his sister, and his birth father did. His eyes widened in surprise.

“Hey, don’t cry, I’ll tell you what,” Rick said gently. “This is gonna be a two-way relationship. I’m getting what I want- your brain waves- so name something you want. I’ll give it to ya.”

I want my Mom, Morty signed. 

Rick nodded. “Ok,” he said. He unbuckled, pulled off his lab coat, and draped it over the boy. “You just rest here, I’ll go break you mom out of prison.”

Morty nodded tearfully. He hadn’t seen his mom in then months. If Rick could give him his mom back, he would follow that man anywhere. He took the coat, stuck his arms through the sleeves, and wore it backwards like a blanket. It smelled faintly of alcohol, but Morty didn’t mind. It reminded him of his mother and the constant smell of wine on her breath. 

Rick parked at the prison. Morty had never been allowed to visit, and now his stomach hurt with anticipation. He held the lab coat tightly to his chest, and tears fell down his face again. Rick pulled out his freeze gun, and looked back at Morty. “Don’t cry,” he said again. “I’ll be right back with your mom.”

Rick entered the prison, and Morty buried his face into the lab coat. He prayed with every ounce of faith he had left that Rick wouldn’t fail. Minutes passed by, and Morty’s hopes dropped with them. Rick was going to prison, and Morty was going back to foster care for sure. He began to sob. Why did he have to ask for his mom like some baby? 

After about five minutes later, Rick emerged with his mother right behind him. Morty began flapping his arms with glee, and the lab coat sleeves flapped by his side like a bird. Morty laughed for the first time in years. He had his mom back. Rick was like some sorta fairy godmother. 

Rick pushed Beth into the back of the spaceship and jumped into the driver’s seat. “Let’s blow this dump!” Rick shouted excitedly, starting up the engine. He navigated his way to the stars. “We’ll work on getting our own place soon, but for now we’re gonna crash at Birdperson’s.”

Morty was smiling wide. Beth squeezed his shoulder, and Rick gave him a smile of his own. Maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.


	3. The Flight

On the flight to Birdperson’s planet, Morty fell peacefully asleep, still using Rick’s lab coat as a blanket. Rick smiled affectionately at the boy. He had a cute grandkid. Rick wondered why he hadn’t come for him sooner, and not just for his Morty waves. That pang of unfamiliar guilt hit him again. If he hadn’t left his family, no one would have gotten hurt. 

“Just wait, Beth,” Rick said. “I’m gonna make everything up to you. We’re gonna be a family.”

“What about Summer?” she asked. “She got herself emancipated and has been living on her own ever since.”

“It’ll take some time, but we’ll return to Earth,” Rick replied. “I’m gonna erase every record of you and Morty and replace it so you won’t be a fugitive. And as for the prison, I’ll just go in and wipe everyone’s memories.”

“You can do that?” Beth asked in amazement. 

“Your father can do anything,” Rick bragged. 

Beth squeezed his shoulder. “I don’t know what made you come back,” she said. “But thank you.”

“You’re welcome, honey,” he said, smiling sweetly at her. There was no way he was admitting that the only reason he entered their lives again was so that he could use Morty’s brainwaves on his adventures. “So, has Morty always been mute or...?”

Beth sighed sadly. “So he still doesn’t talk?” Rick shook his head. Beth sighed again and ran her hands over her face. “He didn’t speak a lot when he was younger. That’s why I taught him ASL. But he stopped speaking all together shortly before I got arrested.”

“What happened?” Rick asked. 

Beth gently bit at her lip. “Jonathan would... well, he would beat me.” Rick’s face darkened. “And he threatened to kill the kids if I left him,” she continued. “So I stayed and took it. But one night-“ a tear slid down her face “-I heard him at night, in Morty’s room. I went to get him, but the door was locked.”

“And that’s when you decided to kill him?” Rick asked. 

Beth nodded. “I waited til he had fallen asleep. Then, I got his gun and shot him in the head.”

Rick swallowed hard. “You did the right thing,” he said. “I just wish I had come sooner.”

“Everything will be okay now that you’re back,” Beth said. 

Birdperson’s planet came into view, and Rick smiled at the sight of it. “Go ahead and wake Morty up,” he said. “This is gonna be our temporary home.”

Beth gently shook Morty’s shoulder. “Hey, buddy,” she said sweetly. “Wake up.”

Morty made a small noise when he awoke. He rubbed his eyes with the sleeves of Rick’s jacket and looked in amazement at the planet below him. “This planet belongs to my best friend, Birdperson,” Rick explained. “While I work on getting us back to Earth, we’re gonna stay here.”

Rick landed the ship in front of a small house, and everyone got out. Birdperson opened the door. “Greetings, Rick,” he said. “I am glad you and your family have made it all here in one piece.”

Rick threw his arms around Birdperson, and the hug was returned. “Man, Birdperson, I cannot thank you enough for letting us crash here.”

“It is my pleasure,” Birdperson replied. “However, I am afraid I only have one guest room available and a pullout couch.”

“What size is the bed in the guest room?” Rick asked. 

“Twin,” Birdperson answered. 

“It’s settled then!” Rick exclaimed. “Beth, you’ll take the guest room, and Morty and I’ll take the pullout couch.”

“Ok, Dad,” Beth replied. She stepped closer to him and gently kissed his cheek. “Thank you for bringing us here.”

“What is your plan, Rick?” Birdperson asked. 

“Well first, I’m gonna need to gather some materials,” Rick began, “to build a super computer strong enough to access Earth’s internet. Then, I erase Beth’s record, put a new one in place, and we go home.” Rick finished with a smile. “And oh, I’ll have to wipe a few people’s memories.”

“That does not sound complicated,” Birdperson mussed. “I and my resources are at your disposal.”

“I appreciate it, Birdperson,” Rick replied to his best friend. Birdperson was one of the people in this universe who he’d do anything for. He supposed it was time he added his daughter and grandson to that list, especially given all that he was doing for them. Sure, he had originally been motivated by the Morty waves, but now he couldn’t resist the idea of repairing his broken family.


	4. The Nightmare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MAJOR TRIGGER WARNINGS: The following chapter contains triggers for r*pe and child sexual abuse. I tried to make it not too graphic, but please do not read if you will be triggered.

Night fell, and Morty made himself comfortable on the pullout couch. It was more comfortable than he originally thought. Birdperson’s pillows were so soft, Morty felt like he was laying on a marshmallow. He sighed contentedly. 

He had finally gotten the chance to change clothes. Luckily, Birdperson had a soft t-shirt and some sweat pants for him. He curled up under the blankets, ready to sleep when Rick sat next to him. 

“Our adventuring starts tomorrow, Morty,” he said. “Isn’t that exciting?”

Morty smiled and nodded. 

“Just so you know, it’s ok with me if you don’t wanna speak. I respect your decision either way.”

Thank you, Morty signed. 

“Well, we should probably get some sleep. We got a big day tomorrow.” Rick pulled the blanket over him, crashed onto the pillows, and closed his eyes. 

Morty continued to look at the man who had saved him and his mom for a few seconds longer. He was afraid to go to sleep only to wake up and realize that it was all just a dream. 

He closed his eyes, and let the darkness take him away. 

Next thing he knew, he was back home, at his mother’s house. Jonathan was in his room, lurking over him. “Morty,” he whispered. “Wake up.”

Morty cowered by his bed, fearing the worst. Jonathan gave a sadistic smile and said, “You’re a pretty boy aren’t you? Take off your clothes for me.”

Morty shook his head, scared out of his mind. He had already started crying. Jonathan reached out and caught Morty’s neck in a bruising grip. He couldn’t breathe. “I said, take off you clothes,” Jonathan said more sternly. His stinky breath was in Morty’s face. 

Shaking, Morty complied, pulling his shirt and pants off so that he was left sitting exposed in his underwear. “All of it,” Jonathan commanded. 

Morty began crying harder, and a rag was shoved into his mouth. His hands were handcuffed to the bed. Morty thrashed around, trying to escape, but all the earned him was a slap in the face. 

“I’ll do it myself then,” Jonathan growled, pulling off the boy’s underwear, leaving him completely exposed. With a sadistic smile, John began molesting him. 

“You’re so pretty,” John whispered. Unceremoniously, he flipped Morty over. His hands, tangled in the cuffs, started to hurt. He tried to pull his way out, but the cuffs just dug into his skin. 

Without warning, Jonathan dove in. 

Morty woke up with a scream stuck in his throat, but the noise wouldn’t come out. He clawed at his neck and started to hyperventilate. He kicked out, thrashing, trying to escape his nightmare. 

All of his movement must have woken Rick up because suddenly, a pair of arms were around the boy. Forgetting where he was, he let out a high pitch squeal and squirmed. “Morty, it’s ok,” he heard Rick say. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”

He turned to his grandpa. It wasn’t Jonathan. His heart rate and breathing began to settle down as he remembered where he was and that he was safe. A sob finally escaped his throat. He buried his face into his knees and cried. Rick’s arms wrapped around him again, pulling him into his grandpa’s lap. 

“Nightmare?” Rick asked. Morty nodded. “Jonathan?” Morty nodded again. Rick sighed heavily. “What did that sick bastard do to you?” he wondered aloud. 

Morty let the question go unanswered as he turned his face into Rick’s shirt. “It’s alright, buddy,” he said. “He’s never gonna hurt you again.”

Morty sniffled and pulled away. The doctor at the home said I have PTSD, he signed. 

Rick sighed again. “That’s to be expected, coming from an abusive household,” he said. “I need you to remember two things for me Morty. One: it’s healthy to cry. And two: none of what happened to you was your fault. You didn’t deserve it in any way.”

Thank you, Morty signed. You have been so kind to me. 

“Yeah, well you’re my grandson, and I’m gonna take care of you now. And we’re gonna see the multiverse, Morty! There’s thousands of galaxies to be explored out there, and we’re gonna see them all! Rick and Morty forever, one hundred years, www.rickandmorty.com, Rick and-“ he was cut off by a yawn. “You think you can try and sleep some more, buddy?” he asked. 

I will try, Morty signed. 

“Ok,” Rick replied. He reached out and ruffled Morty’s hair. “‘Night, kid.”


	5. The Isotope

When Rick awoke the next morning, Morty was already gone. Rick sat up and stretched. He could here talking and laughter coming from the kitchen. He stood up and made his way into the other room. 

“Good morning, Rick,” Birdperson greeted him. “Your daughter has informed me that your kind likes to eat eggs in the morning.”

“She’s right,” Rick said, taking a seat next to Morty. “How’re you doing today, kiddo?”

I am fine, Morty signed. 

“Beth,” Rick said. “The super computer I’m building? I use the same technology in my cellphone.” He handed Beth a flip phone. “You should be able to call Summer on that and let her know you’re safe.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Beth replied with a smile. “I can’t wait to have my family back together.”

Birdperson set a plate of eggs in front of him. “Any big plans for today, Rick?”

“Yeah,” Rick responded with a mouth full of eggs. “Big plans. I located some isotope 322 for my supercomputer. Morty and I just have to hop on over to the Jarvain system to get it.”

“Dad,” Beth interrupted. “Can I talk to you in private?”

“Sure,” Rick agreed, standing up. The two made their way back into the living room. 

“Can’t Morty stay here?” Beth asked. “I know how your adventures go, and Morty’s already been through enough.”

“It’ll be good for him,” Rick replied. “He needs to get out of his head.”

“What he needs is security,” Beth argued. “He’s already so fragile.”

“He’ll be perfectly safe with me,” Rick countered. “Besides, why don’t you just ask the boy what he wants.”

Morty was standing in the doorway. Beth turned around, looking apologetic. “I’m sorry, Morty,” she said. “I don’t think you’re fragile.”

I want to go with Rick, he signed. 

“Okay, baby. Just come back safe, okay?”

I promise, he signed. 

Beth walked towards her son and kissed his forehead. “Alright boys,” she said. “Have fun. Stay safe.”

“You’ve got nothing to worry about,” Rick assured her. He pulled out his portal gun, set the coordinates, and shot a portal. “Ready, Morty?”

Morty nodded excitedly and followed Rick through the portal. They were in a desert world, sand blowing in the wind. Rick pulled out a tracking device to find the isotope he needed. “Come on, Morty,” he said. “It’s this way.”

They began trekking through the sand. The scenery wasn’t particularly exciting, yet Morty was running ahead of him like it was the coolest thing he had ever seen. Rick smiled to himself. Maybe adventuring with this kid would actually be fun. 

In the background, he could hear the sound of a car in the distance. “Shit,” Rick swore. He started running, grabbed Morty’s hand, and pulled him along behind him. “We gotta find that isotope now.”

They climbed over a sand dune, and Rick saw the glowing green rock. He shoved his bag into Morty’s hands and ran towards the rock. He grabbed it and was about to turn around when he heard a scream. 

Morty had his back to him and was facing three rather large men with guns. “Back away from my grandson!” Rick shouted, which distracted them for long enough for Rick to open a portal. He grabbed Morty’s hand and dragged him through, back into Birdperson’s living room. 

Rick took the bag and stuffed the rock inside. “Good work today, Morty. Um, Morty?”

Morty was frozen in place, pale skinned and shaking hard. Rick knelt down next to him and pulled him into a hug. “Hey, it’s ok,” he whispered, hoping Beth didn’t walk in on them. “Nobody’s gonna hurt you while grandpa’s around.”

Morty gave a tiny smile, then turned and buried himself in Rick’s shirt. Rick just rubbed his back, whispering, “There, there Morty. Everything’s okay.”

Rick was starting to think the kid needed therapy for his PTSD. It certainly couldn’t hurt him anymore. Whatever Jonathan did to him must have really messed him up, but he still needed the kid’s brainwaves for adventures. Rick supposed he would have to squeeze in time to let the lid have therapy. He had never respected therapy before. But then again, he had never seen a case as bad as Morty’s before. 

He walked into the kitchen and set the isotope down. “Look what Morty helped me get,” he announced. Morty shyly entered the room. “I’m really proud of you, bud. You helped me find the material that’s gonna power our supercomputer.”

Beth ran up to Rick and hugged him. “Thanks so much for the phone,” she said. “I was able to call Summer and tell her where we are. She wants to come too, so do you think maybe you could fly down to Earth really quick and get her?”

“Sure,” Rick agreed. “As long as it’s okay with Birdperson.”

“I have no problems,” Birdperson said. 

“Then it’s settled,” Beth said. 

“We’re gonna have a crowded nest for awhile, but I don’t mind,” Rick replied. 

“I also called Jerry.” Rick rolled his eyes. “Morty’s his son, and he deserves to know what’s happening,” Beth argued. “Besides, now he can stop worrying about custody.”

“Well good,” Rick said. “Cuz you, me, Morty, and Summer? We’re gonna be a real family.”

Morty was smiling brightly. He had to admit, the kid was really cute, and somehow he had wormed his was into the old man’s heart just by being himself without even saying a word.


	6. The Sister

Morty woke up the next morning nightmare-free for the first time in a long time. Rick was still sleeping. Morty curled up on his side and watched him. He still couldn’t believe the way Rick had crashed into his life, saving him and his mom. However, a part of him wished Rick could have come earlier and saved Morty from having Jonathan ever putting his filthy hands on him and stealing his innocence. 

It didn’t matter. Rick was here now, and Jonathan was dead. His mom had made sure of that. 

He just wished that horrible night had never happened. 

Rick opened his eyes and smiled. “Good morning, buddy,” he said. Morty smiled back. “You ready to see your sister again?”

Morty nodded excitedly. He missed Summer. She had always been so kind to him, always looking out for him. He couldn’t wait to see her smile again. 

“Smells like Birdperson is cooking eggs again,” Rick said. “Wanna check it out?”

Morty nodded again. He rubbed at his eyes and got up from the bed. Following Rick into the kitchen, he smiled when he saw his mom already sitting at the table. He ran to her and hugged her. “Good morning, sweetie,” she said. “It’s good to see you too.”

Birdperson placed a plate of eggs in front of him. “Eat,” he instructed. “You will need your strength.”

Morty did as he was told, happily eating his eggs. He liked Birdperson, even if he looked kinda funny. Birdperson was kind to him. 

“Are you excited to see Summer?” Beth asked. 

Morty nodded eagerly. When do we leave, he signed. 

“Soon as we’re ready,” Rick answered with his own plate of eggs in hand. “Why don’t you call her and let her know we’re getting ready?”

Rick handed Beth his cellphone, and she eagerly dialed the number. “Summer!” she exclaimed. “We’re eating breakfast right now, and then we’re going to come get you. Great. Yeah, of course, hold on.” She stretched out her hand and extended the phone to Morty. “She wants to talk to you,” Beth explained. 

Morty took the phone hesitantly and put it up to his ear. “Hello? Morty?” Summer asked. “If you’re there, tap once.”

He lifted his finger to the speaker and tapped. Summer breathed a sigh of relief. “Morty, it’s so good to talk to you,” she said. “I’ve missed you so much. I can’t believe our grandpa came back for us. Mom always told us stories about him, but I didn’t know if it was all real or not. Is he taking good care of you? Tap once for yes, twice for no.”

Morty tapped once. Summer’s tone changed. “Morty, I’m scared,” she admitted. “I don’t know if I can trust again after Jonathan. I mean, he threatened to kill us and brutalized mom. But this Rick’s a good guy, right? He wouldn’t do that to us?”

Morty tapped twice. “Okay,” Summer responded. “I trust your judgement. Hand the phone back to Mom.”

He did as he was told, and his mother took the phone again. “Alright, we’re about to come get you. Just hang tight. You all packed? Ok, good. I love you too, hun, and I’ll see you in a little bit.”

Birdperson began collecting empty plates. “I will take care of the dishes,” he informed the family. “Go get Summer.”

“Everybody into the ship,” Rick instructed. 

Morty eagerly jumped into the passenger’s seat. He watched as Rick and his mother climbed inside and buckled up. “We all ready?” Rick asked. 

“Ready,” Beth answered nervously, and Morty nodded. 

Rick started up the engine. “I’ve brought my freeze gun, just in case we run into any trouble,” he said. Morty gulped. He wasn’t ready for trouble. 

They took off, and Morty looked at the stars in wonder. The universe was so beautiful. Again, he found himself wishing Rick had come for him sooner. He leaned against the window, taking in the sights. 

As the hours drifted on, he realized his mom had fallen asleep in the back. He looked back at her. She looked so peaceful. Morty found himself wishing he could turn back time and prevent her from ever getting involved with Jonathan. That way, she could still look that peaceful when she was awake. 

A small tear rolled down his cheek. It wasn’t fair. She had always been a good mom, protecting the kids from Jonathan until she couldn’t, which is when she ended his life. Not even Summer knew about that horrid night where Jonathan had locked himself in his room. 

“Hey buddy, what’s wrong?” Rick asked. 

Morty looked up at him through teary eyes. Why didn’t you come sooner, he signed. 

Immediately, Rick’s face filled with guilt. “I wasn’t a good father, kid,” he admitted. “I left your mother and your grandmother a long time ago. Beth was just a kid.” He paused. “I didn’t even know about you.”

How did you find out, Morty signed. 

“There’s this big place out there where Ricks from every dimension gather. I went there, and I saw the other versions of you. The other Ricks told me how your brainwaves could camouflage me, so I sought you out. But now that I’ve met you and have spent time with Beth again... I wanna be a family.”

I want that too, Morty signed. 

Rick grinned. “Well good, cuz I’m not going anywhere now.”

Earth came into view, and Morty marveled at the sight of it. “Wake your mom up,” Rick instructed. “We’re almost there.”

Morty turned and shook his mom’s shoulder. She awoke and smiled. “Hey Morty,” she said. 

Morty returned the smile and turned back to the front. Rick had manipulated his ship into the back alley behind an apartment complex. “Alright,” he said. “Are you ready to go get your sister?” he asked Morty. 

Morty nodded and quickly hopped out of the ship. His family followed, and Beth led the way towards Summer’s apartment. Rick hung back, making sure there wasn’t any trouble. 

They approached a wooden door. “This is the one,” Beth said. She raised her hand and knocked. 

Summer threw open the door and threw herself at Beth. “Mom,” she said, with tears in her eyes. 

Beth wrapped her arms around her daughter. “It’s so good to hold you again,” she said. 

Summer pulled out of the hug and grabbed Morty. “Oh, Morty, I’m so sorry I was never able to get custody over you.”

“We’ve been spotted,” Rick said anxiously. “We gotta go. Now.”

“Ok,” Beth agreed. She grabbed her children’s hands and hurried them along the walkway, back to the ship. The small family climbed inside, with Summer and Beth in the back and Morty in the passenger’s seat. 

Rick wasted no time in starting the ship back up and heading out of Earth’s atmosphere, back to Birdperson’s planet.


	7. The Guilt

Rick couldn’t sleep. Never in a million years had he imagined reconnecting with his family, but here he was, reconnected with his family. And it was all thanks to the mute kid laying beside him who had stolen his heart. He had sworn off family and love the day he left Diane. It had left him heartbroken, not that he would ever tell anyone that. He was only supposed to get Morty for his brainwaves, but from the moment he saw him, he knew this kid was special. 

He couldn’t describe the bond he felt to Morty. The boy had already been through so much that Rick wanted to protect him and keep anything else bad away from him. But most of all, he felt guilt. He had abandoned Beth. He had let this happen. 

The boy next to him started twitching and mumbling. Rick listened in, curious as to what his voice sounded like. Suddenly, Morty thrashed out, kicking his legs and waving his arms around. “No!” he cried out. 

Rick didn’t think the first word he’d hear Morty say would break his heart, but it did. He reached out with his hands, trying to steady the boy, but that just caused him to cry out again and shy away from Rick’s touch. Rick watched on, helpless as the boy turned into himself and started to shiver. 

He pushed himself closer to the boy until his stomach was touching Morty’s back. He threw and arm around the boy, trying to warm him up. “Shhh,” he whispered. “You’re safe now.”

Morty turned into Rick and began to sob into his shirt. Rick rubbed his back and simply let the boy cry. He wished that Jonathan was still alive so he could kill him himself, painfully. Whatever that monster had done to his grandson was Rick’s fault, so he was determined that Morty would not have to bear it alone. 

When the boy had stopped crying, Rick wiped the tears from his face. It seemed that Morty did a lot of crying. Whatever had happened to him must have been extremely traumatic. Though Rick was a genius, he had no idea how to cure a traumatized kid. But he had an idea. 

“You awake, buddy?” Rick whispered. 

Morty nodded, not bothering to look up at Rick or even open his eyes. “You wanna get out of here?” he asked. 

Now, Morty looked up at him, confused. “I think it’ll help take your mind off things,” Rick added. 

The boy looked skeptical, but after a few seconds, he nodded. “Okay. Get your shoes on,” Rick instructed. 

Rick did the same and grabbed his portal gun. He entered the coordinates for a planet called Nafdrib. He had never dared to go there before, but now that he had Morty’s brainwaves, he figured he’d be safe. “You ready to go?” he asked. 

Morty nodded, and Rick opened the portal. He stepped through to the purple dirt planet and looked up at the night sky. Behind him, Morty gasped. Rick turned around and smiled. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he said. Morty nodded again, smiling widely. “This is the clearest night sky in the universe due to the lack of light and air pollution.”

Rick sat down and enjoyed the view above him. It really was amazing to see stars of so many different colors lighting up the night. It wasn’t long until Morty sat beside him, gazing up at the stars. At his soft smile, Rick couldn’t help but smile. Then, the guilt hit him again. This was the life Morty deserved, but he hadn’t been there to give it to him. 

He cleared his throat. “I may no be good at this,” he began. “But if you ever want to talk about your nightmares, I’m here.”

Morty looked up at him, his eyes starting to water again. He opened his mouth, an unsure look on his face. After a moment, he decided to speak. “Jonathan,” he said. 

Rick nodded in understanding. Suddenly, Morty threw himself at Rick and started to cry again. To his surprise, Rick found his own eyes tearing up. The guilt was eating him alive. He wrapped his arms around the boy and held him tight. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I should have been there.”

“The way he touched me, spoke to me. I feel... dirty,” Morty continued. 

A ball of ice dropped into Rick’s stomach as he began to get an idea of what happened that night Beth had told him about. “You have no reason to feel dirty,” Rick spoke soothingly to him. “The only person who should feel dirty is dead.”

“I’m glad you came,” Morty whispered. 

“Me too, kid,” Rick replied. “Me too.” He just wished he had been sooner.


	8. The Wires

When Morty awoke the next morning, he couldn’t remember how they had gotten back from Nafdrib, but he was laying on the pull-out couch with his back pressed firmly into Rick. Oddly, he felt safe. This man was still virtually a stranger to Morty, but he had appeared like a fairy godmother, giving him everything his heart could desire. 

As he heard his mother and Summer laughing from the kitchen, he smiled. A week ago, being reunited with his family seemed like an impossibility, yet here they were. And it was all thanks to the man laying beside him. 

Morty got up as quietly as he could so as not to disturb Rick and made his way to the kitchen. His mother and sister were seated at the small table, drinking coffee and catching up on what had been happening while they were separated. Morty opened his mouth to call out to them but was frustrated when no noise came out. Sadly, he sighed as he joined his family. It appeared last night had been a one-time thing. He wondered what it was about Rick that made him feel safe enough to talk. 

“How are you doing, sweetie?” Beth asked, smiling down at her son. Her eyes held a quiet fear in them, as if she was afraid that Morty could be ripped away from her again at any moment. Morty simply smiled and grabbed his mom’s hand, squeezing it comfortingly. 

After a few minutes, Rick stumbled into the kitchen, hair rumpled from sleep. “Ready for another adventure today, Morty?” he asked groggily. 

Absolutely, Morty signed. 

Rick frowned, causing Morty to squirm in his seat. He hoped the man was not disappointed that he was unable to talk again after last night’s events. 

“We need to go to Ufbon. Their electricity conductors are the only thing powerful enough to run my super computer,” Rick explained. 

Morty nodded in understanding. The sooner they got Rick’s super computer up and running, the sooner they could go home. Not that Morty was ungrateful for Birdperson’s hospitality. But it was a little cramped, and Morty wanted the opportunity to attend school again. 

Rick had a glass of water before pulling out his portal gun and setting in the coordinates. “You ready to go, bud?” Rick asked, giving Morty a concerned look. 

Not wanting to give Rick anything to worry about, Morty shot him a smile and nodded eagerly. He hopped off his chair and made his way to stand next to Rick. His grandpa shot a portal into the wall, and Morty quickly followed him into it. 

On the other side, Morty gasped in awe. They were in a forest, surrounded by trees taller than Morty had ever seen before. Little spots of sunlight peered through the leaves and hit the ground. Rick looked back at him with a smile. “What do you think?” he asked. 

“It’s beautiful,” Morty replied, suddenly finding his voice again. The sound of his own voice shocked him, and he quickly raised his hand to his mouth, not quite believing the sound had come from him. 

Rick raised his monobrow in surprise. “So, you speak now?” he asked, keeping his tone neutral. 

Morty flushed and looked down, unable to meet Rick’s eyes. “I can’t exactly control it,” he replied in his shame. “I tried this morning, but it was like a brick wall was in my throat.”

His grandpa put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “It’s ok,” he said gently. “You don’t have to talk for anyone, but I’m honored that you feel safe enough to talk to me.”

Morty met Rick’s eyes and saw the sincerity there. He smiled faintly, realizing that he had found a safe space in Rick. How it had happened, Morty had no idea. Perhaps it was fate or destiny that brought them together. Perhaps God had seen his trauma and sent him the one person who could help him heal. Either way, he was grateful. 

“Can you just do a me a favor?” Morty asked quietly. 

“Sure, what do you need?” Rick agreed. 

“Can you not tell the rest of the family that I speak to you?” Morty requested. “I don’t want them getting jealous or pressing me to talk or anything.”

Rick nodded. “Your secret’s safe with me, Morty.”

Morty felt a sigh of relief escape him. He followed Rick as they trekked through the forest. “So, how do we get this conductor?” Morty asked. 

“Well that’s the fun part,” Rick replied with a sly smile. “This material, called aberul, is actually illegal on this planet because of how powerful it is.”

Morty looked up at his grandpa in confusion. “So how do we get it then?”

Rick’s smile turned into a grin. “There’s a black market for it. I happen to know a guy,” he explained. 

A light chuckle escaped Morty’s lips. “You just like trouble, don’t you?”

“I suppose I do,” Rick answered, looking back at Morty with a mischievous look in his eye. “But don’t worry. I won’t let you get hurt.”

Morty gently bit at his lip. A part of him wanted to say, “It’s too late for that.” But he didn’t want to place that guilt on Rick. After all, the man had come for him as soon as he learned about his existence. So instead, he replied, “I trust you.”

Rick’s expression turned soft, and if Morty wasn’t mistaken, a little bit nervous. As he thought about it, he realized that Rick had probably been alone for most of his life and wasn’t used to having people depend on him. At the same time, Morty wasn’t used to depending on people. Ever since Jonathan had entered his life, his innocence had shattered. He learned that the world was a dangerous place and that there were always going to be people trying to hurt him. Even though his mother had taken most of the blows, Jonathan had still gotten some swings in. And then there was that one night. 

But as much as he was looking for a new beginning, it seemed that Rick was too. Maybe they could find it in each other. 

As they reached the end of the forest, a small hut came in to sight. “This is it,” Rick announced. “Now, this man can be a little... testy. I want you to stay behind me at all times and let me do the talking.”

“Okay,” Morty agreed, a hint of nervousness touching his voice. 

They entered the hut, and Morty could see a blue toad-like creature with lumps all over his body. Remembering what his grandpa said, he hung back, staying close behind him. “Sanchez,” the alien croaked out. “How can I help you?”

“You know what I’m here for,” Rick replied. He reached into his pocket, retrieved a bag of coins, and set it down on the counter. 

The alien grinned. “Straight to business as always, Sanchez. That’s what I like about you.” Suddenly, the alien turned his hungry gaze to Morty, causing him to squirm uncomfortably. “Who’s this?” he asked, grinning even wider. 

“Not important,” Rick replied shortly. “Now, do you have the aberul or not?”

‘Not important.’ Those words cut Morty straight to the core. Just when he thought he had someone who cared, Rick had to go and say something like that. He crossed his arms and shrank back, trying to make himself as small as possible. 

The alien turned his attention back to Rick and growled. He slammed a handful of metal wires on the counter, which Rick quickly scooped up and placed in his pocket. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you, as always,” Rick replied, his tone neutral. 

Just as he was turning back to Morty to leave, another alien blasted the door off it’s hinges, weapon in hand. “Nobody moves, and nobody gets hurt,” the other alien instructed. “This is a robbery.”

Rick quickly grabbed Morty’s waist, picking him up and diving behind a shelf. As fast as possible, he set in the coordinates for his portal gun and shot a portal underneath them. 

They landed a few yards in front of Birdperson’s house. Morty was shaking, his eyes wide in terror. Rick gently put his hands on Morty’s arms and looked into his eyes. “I told you I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you,” he said softly. “Are you okay?”

Morty opened his mouth to answer but found himself once again rendered mute. He sighed, ashamed of himself, and nodded his head. Physically, it was true. Emotionally, Morty wasn’t sure. 

Rick’s eyes suddenly filled with worry. “Alright,” he replied hesitantly. “Let’s get back inside then.”


	9. The Shopping Trip

Ever since getting back from Ufbon, Morty had been acting a little different. Not only had he stopped talking to the older man, he was putting as much distance between them as possible at night, barely touching his food, and looking at Rick with that strange, fearful look that he had when Rick had first picked him up. 

He had asked Birdperson to check up on him and see if he could figure out what was troubling him, figuring that Birdperson’s calm presence would make the child feel safe. As Birdperson entered the small closet of a room that had become Rick’s lab, Rick looked up hopefully. Birdperson stood over him, looking at the wires Rick was messing with. “Well?” Rick asked. 

“You already know that Morty is a traumatized kid,” Birdperson said calmly. 

Rick sighed in frustration, putting the wires down. “Yeah, but he was starting to open up to me, starting to trust me. And now he can barely even look at me.” It hurt more than Rick wanted to admit. 

Birdperson looked Rick up and down. “You really have changed,” he said softly. 

It was true. Meeting Morty had changed him in ways he had never expected or even wanted, but there was no going back now. Rick sighed and set down the wires, unable to focus. “I’m gonna go out with Morty,” he announced. 

With a nod, Birdperson stepped out of the room, giving space for Rick to do so as well. Rick sighed as he walked down the short hall. He hadn’t been out with Morty since Ufbon, and he wasn’t even sure if Morty would still want to go with the way he was regressing. 

As he entered the living room, he saw Morty laying huddled on the pull-out couch with a dead stare. Rick sat, and Morty gazed up at him nervously. “Hey, buddy,” Rick greeted with a soft smile. He reached out and brushed the boy’s hair. “How’d you like to go computer shopping with me?”

“Computer shopping?” came Summer’s voice from behind him as she entered the room. “I thought you were building a computer.”

Rick rolled his eyes. “I’m building a super computer, and for that I need a regular computer.”

“Whatever,” Summer said with a shrug. “I’m going for a walk outside. This place is beautiful.”

He looked back at Morty, who’s expression hadn’t changed. “What do you say?” Rick asked hopefully. Morty sat up and began to put his shoes on, which Rick took as a yes. His heart still fell though. The boy hadn’t even nodded. “You feeling alright, Morty?”

The boy looked back at him and nodded with that same empty stare. Rick frowned, causing Morty to shrink back. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair, wishing he could read the boy’s mind. Once Morty was finished, Rick set the coordinates and opened a portal. 

Morty waited patiently for Rick to come around the side of the couch to enter the portal with him. On the other side, Morty looked around before staring up in confusion. Rick raised half his brow, urging him to ask his question. Where are we, Morty signed. 

“Earth,” Rick replied. “Best Buy to be exact. And unless we run into another robbery, this should be a perfectly safe mission.”

The boy seemed to relax at the familiar setting. “So, which laptop do you want?” Rick asked. “I mean, I’m going to completely strip and rewire it, but you can at least get one that looks cool. Maybe one that has one of those webcam things. Oh, and don’t worry about money. I’ve got plenty of Earth money.”

Morty stared cautiously up at him. Rick gave an encouraging smile and nod, and the boy walked over to the laptops section. After a few minutes of browsing, he picked up a box and brought it back to Rick. The old man didn’t even bother to see what brand it was; he just checked its size and dimensions. “Yes,” he replied. “This is perfect. Thanks Morty.”

Rick looked down at Morty expecting a small smile, but the boy didn’t even look at him. Feeling dejected, Rick walked over to the cashier with Morty following behind him. He payed for the computer without really paying any attention to what the cashier was saying. He kept Morty in his peripheral vision, and he could see that the boy wasn’t paying much attention either. Morty stood awkwardly with his hands behind his back, staring at his shoes. 

When Rick had finished, he grabbed the shopping bag and his portal gun and set the coordinates. Without thinking, he gently touched Morty’s shoulder, and the boy’s flinch felt like a knife in his stomach. Without another word, the pair stepped through and onto the purple world of Nafdrib. 

Once again, Morty looked up at him in confusion. Rick made the same gesture with his brow, encouraging Morty to ask. Why are we here, Morty signed. 

“We’re here because this is a safe space,” Rick answered. “And you obviously don’t feel safe.” Rick sat down on the purple ground and folded his hands in his lap. “So, why don’t you tell me what’s been bothering you?” 

Morty bit at his lip as he looked away from Rick. He could see the conflict in Morty’s eyes. Rick looked up at him, silently pleading Morty to open up to him once more. The boy stood still for a moment before signing, It’s not important. 

“Not important? Of course i-“ Rick froze. Not important. Suddenly, his exchange with the dealer from Ufbon came flashing back to him. “This is about that dealer on Ufbon, isn’t it?” Rick questioned gently. Morty didn’t respond, but his blush told Rick everything he needed to know. 

Rick sighed. “Listen, kid.” Morty stared at him cautiously. “That dealer we met on Ufbon is extremely predatory. I said you weren’t important because that look he was giving you was dangerous. I told you I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you, and that guy is nothing but bad news.”

He saw the realization hit Morty’s eyes, which began to water. Rick motioned for the kid to come sit down next to him, which he did. Morty let out a strangled sob, and Rick pulled him into a one-armed hug. “I... I’m sorry,” Morty whispered. 

“Don’t be sorry,” Rick replied gently. “It’s not your fault.”

“I’m really screwed up, aren’t I?” Morty asked as he began to cry harder. 

Rick didn’t have an answer for him. Instead, he just held on tighter while Morty let it all out.


	10. The Flashback

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: rape
> 
> Chapter may be more E rated. If you think I need to change the rating, let me know.

Summer had been right. This place was beautiful. Morty hadn’t gone out much to explore due to his anxiety, but with Summer by his side a small smile graced his lips as he looked up into the lush forest. Flowers littered the grassy carpet, and Morty took great care not to step on them. “I’m glad you’re getting out,” Summer said. “I mean, I know you go out with Rick, but other than that you stay holed up inside that house.”

Morty shrugged, not really knowing what to say. He could say that the incident with Jonathan made him afraid of going out alone with only his thoughts for company because he knew he’d be thinking about it, but he didn’t want to ruin the moment and make Summer sad. He cared deeply for his sister, and that was why he could never tell her what happened. It would only break her heart. He was pretty sure Rick and his mom knew what happened, but his sister didn’t need to be burdened with that knowledge too. 

Under a large oak tree, the two siblings sat. Morty pulled his knees to his chest, and Summer slung her arm around him. “I’m so sorry,” she said softly. “It’s my fault that you fell into the foster system. I should have tried harder. I-“

Morty simply leaned into her, and she quieted down. It’s not your fault, he signed. 

Summer sighed and wiped her watery eyes. “Maybe not,” she whispered. “But I’ll always feel like it is.”

A twig snapped, and Morty jumped to his feet, prepared to run. “Easy,” a familiar voice called out, and Morty instantly relaxed as Rick came into view. He was holding a basket in one hand and had a blue blanket draped over his shoulder. “Your mom suggested I bring you lunch.”

“Like a picnic?” Summer asked, her eyes lighting up. Morty gave her a small smile. He liked seeing her this happy after so many years of suffering. 

Rick chuckled to himself as he spread the blanket across the ground. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Like a picnic.”

Morty smiled brightly at his grandpa as he crawled onto the blanket. The old man sat and opened the basket, revealing homemade sandwiches and fresh fruit. Morty picked up an apple and took a bite, savoring its juicy tenderness. Summer sat beside him and began munching on a sandwich. “How’s your supercomputer coming along, Grandpa?” she asked. 

“Great!” Rick exclaimed. “We got the power, the wiring, and the body. Next on my list is something called crystallized anthenite, better known as a time crystal. Problem is, they’re highly illegal and tricky to get.”

With a snort, Morty rolled his eyes. “Of course it is,” he said with amusement. “So, how do we get it?”

Dead silence followed as Morty realized what he had just done. “Um...” he stammered, unsure of how to deal with it. Summer was gaping at him, and Rick was glancing nervously between the two. Morty swallowed hard, meeting Summer’s eyes. 

“You talk to him,” Summer whispered, eyes shining brightly. 

While Morty struggled for words, Rick piped up. “Yes, he does talk to me. But he didn’t want you to know because he doesn’t want to feel pressured into speaking.”

Summer nodded. “I understand,” she replied. “He hasn’t spoken since Mom killed Jonathan.”

Not since Mom killed Jonathan, Morty mentally corrected. Since Jonathan raped me. 

“And even then it wasn’t very much. He’d go long periods of time without saying a word,” Summer explained. 

Rick sighed in understanding and put a gentle hand on Morty’s shoulder, and Morty felt the tension leave his body at the soft touch. “Trauma can affect the brain in many ways,” Rick replied sadly. “Including our ability to speak.”

Summer gently bit at her lip and nodded. “Do you think he needs therapy?” she asked. 

Morty looked up at Rick anxiously and met his eyes. “I think what he needs is for us to stop talking about him like he’s not here,” he responded, not taking his eyes off Morty. 

“R-right,” Summer stuttered. She reached out and grabbed Morty’s hand. “I’m sorry, Morty.”

“It’s fine,” Morty whispered, but inside his heart was clenching painfully. He knew his family, though they loved him, thought very little of him. To them, he was just an abused little kid who couldn’t handle anything. His eyes started to water, so he quickly stood and ran into the forest. 

He heard Summer calling his name, but that didn’t stop him. Morty just needed to disappear for awhile. He needed to forget that he was an abuse and rape victim, but that was impossible with his family simultaneously tiptoeing around him and smothering him. Tears dripped down his cheeks, but he didn’t make a move to wipe them away. He kept running until his foot caught on a tree root, bringing him straight to the ground. 

Lying on his stomach with his face pressed into the ground, Morty’s mind quickly changed the scenery. He wasn’t in the forest anymore. He was back at his mother’s house, chained to his bed. A rough hand pushed Morty’s head down into the sheets. Between that and the gag, he could hardly breathe. “You’re such a sweet thing,” Jonathan crooned right into his ear as he fucked Morty mercilessly from behind. The older man groaned. “Oh god, you’re so tight. You feel so good.” Tears drenched the sheets underneath Morty’s face. 

Suddenly, a rush of something hot flooded into Morty’s asshole. With horror, he realized it was the feeling of Jonathan’s cum filling him. He felt Jonathan pull away. The gag was removed along with the cuffs, and Jonathan simply left, leaving Morty naked and alone to cry himself to sleep while blood and cum pooled out of his ass. 

The next thing he knew, two hands were grabbing his sides, pulling him up, and a panicked voice was calling out his name. Morty couldn’t help the involuntary shriek as he tried to pull out of the grasp. Instantly, the hands were gone, and Morty turned to stare at the worried face of his grandpa. Vaguely, he was aware of his body trembling and crying, but his thoughts honed in on Rick’s brown eyes. He was safe. 

Morty crawled his way to Rick and wrapped his arms around the older man’s waist. Rick pulled him into his lap, hugging him tightly. “What happened?” he asked softly. 

“Flashback,” Morty gasped, frantically trying to get air into his lungs. 

“Just try to match my breathing,” Rick told him. Despite his lungs’ complaints, Morty forced the air in and out of himself in the same slow, even breaths as Rick’s. Eventually, the crying and shaking subsided, and Morty lay limp and exhausted on Rick’s chest as the older man continued to hold on tightly. “Wanna talk about it?” Rick softly asked. 

“You’re a genius,” Morty stated flatly. “I’m sure you already know what happened.”

He heard Rick swallow hard as one of the older man’s hands moved to gently caress his hair. Rick drew in a deep breath, hesitating. “He... he raped you, didn’t he?” he asked sadly. 

Morty nodded against his chest as a few more tears leaked out. “He used me and left me lying there in the filth. And when I got up the next morning, he was dead.”

“How did she do it?” Rick asked, referring to Beth. 

“She grabbed the biggest kitchen knife we had and stabbed him as much as she could. She didn’t stop until long after he was dead and a river of blood flowed through our house. A neighbor saw her through the window and called the police. Mom was arrested. You know the rest.”

Rick stood suddenly, pulling Morty up with him. “I need to know something,” he announced before looking back down at Morty. “Wanna come with me?”

Morty nodded, and Rick pulled out his portal gun. He shot a green portal and jumped through. Morty eagerly followed him, curious as to where he was going. He was not expecting to land in a place surrounded by hundreds of other Ricks and Mortys. With a nervous gasp, he stepped closer to his grandpa and grabbed his lab coat. “It’s ok, Morty,” Rick assured him. “No one’s gonna hurt you here. This is a safe place.”

None of the others seemed to notice the couple as they headed for the center of the citadel. Morty’s fear melted into wonder as he watched the many different versions of himself. One pair was even made out of corn. Morty had to hold in his laughter at the ridiculousness of it all. 

“In here,” Rick murmured, gently pushing Morty into a great hall. He was quick to follow his grandpa to the high table where what appeared to be a council was seated at. 

“A-77,” one of the other Ricks acknowledged them. “What brings you here?”

“I need to know,” Rick began. “Out of all the timelines we know of, in how many did Beth marry Jonathan?”

“There were four,” the center Rick replied. “Three of them were killed early on by their Ricks. Yours was the only one to be killed by Beth.”

Rick fell to his knees, and his eyes began to water. Alarmed, Morty quickly knelt down in front of him. What’s wrong, he signed. 

“Four realities where Beth married Jonathan, and I was the only Rick who failed you,” Rick replied. 

You didn’t know what was happening, Morty signed. You need to forgive yourself. 

Rick gave him half a sad smile. “I don’t think I can, kid,” he admitted. 

Morty threw his arms around Rick’s neck. He wished Rick wouldn’t blame himself for what happened. While it was true that he wished Rick had found them earlier, he couldn’t blame his grandpa for not knowing. Plenty of parents abandoned their kids. The difference was Rick came back.


	11. The Serum

Rick felt extremely dejected as he walked back into Bird Person’s place with his grandson. He sighed heavily and took a long drink from his flask. If he drank enough, maybe he could forget his failures. He almost wished Morty would blame him. It would make things so much easier, but the kid was too good for that. Rick had never been that pure, so it was something he would never understand. 

Bird Person stood in the doorway to the kitchen, looking at Rick anxiously. “You got something for me, Bird Person?” he asked hopefully. 

His feathered friend nodded. “Yes,” he replied slowly. “But you’re not gonna like it.”

“What is it?” Rick asked, biting down on his lip nervously. 

“The time crystal,” Bird Person explained. “I was able to locate one, but it’s at the Federation headquarters.”

Rick’s heart dropped to his stomach. “The Federation headquarters,” he repeated, his voice heavy with dread. 

“Is that bad?” a small voice asked from beside him. Rick glanced down in surprise to see Morty watching Bird Person carefully. 

“Very,” Rick answered, dropping a hand to ruffle his grandson’s hair. “The Galactic Federation has been after me for years. If they catch me, they’ll kill me.”

Morty nodded in understanding. “So, how do we get the time crystal?” he asked. 

“We don’t,” Rick replied with a shake of his head. “We’re just going to have to find another planet to settle on.”

“No,” Morty answered firmly, showing more strength than Rick had ever seen in the young boy. “You and I- we can get the time crystal and take our family home to Earth.”

Rick sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry kiddo, but it’s just too dangerous,” he argued. 

“The two of us can do anything together,” Morty stated with confidence. “We’re getting that time crystal, so you better come up with a plan.”

The old scientist sighed in defeat, unable to refuse Morty. “Alright,” he relented. “But we’re going to need a disguise.” 

Morty grinned widely while Rick entered new coordinates in his portal gun. “The Galactic Federation knows my face,” Rick explained. “So, when we go there, I can’t have this face.” Morty stared up at him in confusion. “I know someone who can temporarily alter my DNA.”

With the coordinates set, Rick shot open a portal to one of the last places he wanted to be. “Come on Morty,” Rick gently urged. “No one here will harm you.” He left out the fact that they would definitely harm him if he gave them reason to. Morty nodded and stepped eagerly through the portal. Rick took a deep breath and followed him. 

They emerged on the other side in a busy metropolis swarming with aliens of every kind. Morty looked on in awe as Rick grabbed his shoulder and began steering him towards one of the skyscrapers. He held his breath as they entered, walked up to the counter, and cleared his throat. The alien on the other side resembled a bright red, three-eyed gecko. He turned and glared down at the scientist in annoyance. “What do you want, Sanchez?” he asked gruffly. 

“I need to see her,” Rick answered with a scowl. 

A burst of air shot through the alien’s nostrils. “Very well,” he agreed, handing Rick a key card for the elevator. “But it’s your funeral.”

Rick rolled his eyes and took Morty to the elevator. His grandson followed close beside him, not saying a word. Once inside, Rick scanned the card. The elevator shook before dropping down a few stories to the basement of the building. 

Once they came to a stop, the door opened, and Rick nudged Morty forward. The lab was just how Rick remembered it. He glanced around before spotting her, the purple cyclops sitting at the computer. “Sanchez,” she grumbled. “What are you doing here?”

“I need a favor,” Rick admitted. “Please, Fa. You owe me.”

Fa rolled her eye and stood. “What is it you need?” she asked. 

“Just a sample of the disguise serum,” Rick explained. “And I’ll never bother you again.”

The alien sighed and stood. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Sanchez.” She retrieved a small vial from her desk and handed it to Rick. “I trust you remember how this works?”

Rick nodded and pocketed the vial. Not wanting to push his luck with Fa, he brought out his portal gun and opened a portal back to Bird Person’s house. He grabbed Morty’s arm and quickly pulled the boy through. Once safe on the other side, Morty asked, “Who was that?”

“My ex,” Rick replied with a grimace. “We don’t like each other, but we help each other out in a pinch.” Morty nodded, and Rick began to feel nervous thinking about what they were about to do. “So, are you ready to rob the Galactic Federation?”


End file.
